Rhapsody in Red Square
by RoryFaller
Summary: A chance encounter changes Rodney's life during his Russian exile. Pre-Atlantis AU. McKeller
1. Red Square Encounter

**MGM owns SG1, SGA and all characters except any OCs.**

**A/N: Spoilers for SG1 **_**48 Hours**_**. This should probably be a crossover story, but I'm putting it here because Rodney and Jennifer belong to **_**Atlantis**_**.**

**Thanks **_**Betherdy Babe**_** and **_**Destiny Brighthope**_** for their help. _Destiny_, thanks for the title and a few lines.**

* * *

Doctor Jennifer Keller sat in the busy_ Red Square Restaurant_ in Moscow staring at the happy family sitting at the table in front of her. The mother and father were doting on two little girls and a smile spread over Jennifer's face as she remembered her own parents fussing over her at that age. Her idyllic family was shattered almost fifteen years ago with the death of her mother in a car accident. She wasn't bitter about it, so she joyfully watched the family.

"No. No. No. Oh wait. _Nyet. Nyet limon_." an angry voice that rose in pitch spoke from the table behind her. "Isn't there anyone here who speaks English?"

Jennifer turned to see the back of a brown-haired man waving his menu at an angry waitress. The older woman had a scowl on her face and started yelling at him in Russian. The physician had spoken Russian at her nana's knee since she was a toddler and understood that this woman was laying into the man about his desire for citrus fruit, which was extremely hard get in Russia during the winter.

"Argh! I'm deathly allergic to citrus. If you put lemon in any of this it'll kill me," he growled.

Jennifer was instantly on her feet and speaking with the waitress. It was a natural instinct for the Midwesterner to help, especially if someone's safety was in jeopardy.

Rodney was ready to leave when he heard an angelic sound next to him. His blood pressure lowered as soon as it registered in his brain. He quickly looked from the angry waitress, who could obviously break his spine if she chose to, to the owner of the voice. His blood pressure shot back up but for a different reason than anger.

A young blond with hair in a ponytail hanging past her shoulders stood before him. With her features unobscured by her hair, Rodney observed that she had brown eyes, which conveyed a warmth he'd not known since early childhood, and a smile that spoke of the capacity for much humor as she shared a laugh with the waitress.

He would be the first to admit he'd always liked short-haired blonds with light eyes but he'd gladly make an exception for this woman. As his eyes flashed over her petite frame with curves in all the right places, a slight smile touched his lips.

The woman glanced at him with a smile of her own, which showcased an innocent beauty that caused his eyes to widen, and then she looked back to the waitress all the while speaking in Russian. _Please let her speak English_, he found himself chanting as the waitress turned back to him. _Oh who cares what she can understand, talking can be overrated._

The waitress chuckled, smiled at Rodney and headed for the kitchen. The young woman, who looked barely out of her teens, was looking at him and he realized he'd yet to say a word since her arrival. "Uh. What did you say?"

"I said you would die if you ate citrus and she really didn't want to clean up the mess," his savior replied.

"Thank goodness you speak English. No one in this Godforsaken land will acknowledge they know what I'm saying. Having allergies is so hard when eating in new places," he continued. The desire to keep the woman around longer turned the brilliant man into a babbling imbecile. "You've gotta be careful not even a drop of lemon or orange touches your food. It's extremely taxing."

"I'm glad I could help. The waitress said nothing on the menu has even a touch of citrus. It's not a common ingredient in Russian cuisine," she continued. "And considering the season, even less likely."

"Thank you for your help," Rodney said. "Will you join me for lunch? Assuming you're not leaving?" _Please don't let her leave, I've got to see that smile again. _The instant attraction was unlike the usual physical desire for a beautiful woman he felt. There was something about this woman's voice and general demeanor that drew him in. Of course her shapely curves under the sweater and khaki pants didn't hurt either.

"I guess so, my lunch companion ditched me," she confessed.

_His loss_, Rodney thought before muttering, "Have a seat…"

A smile crossed the man's lips as his brows rose creating the cutest little crease adorning his forehead. He nodded to the seat opposite him as she continued to stand and look him over, taking in his slightly messy hair, which she had the desire to run her fingers through, and the light stubble on his face. Jennifer knew she shouldn't sit with a stranger and have lunch, but she was leaving tomorrow morning and he _was_ cute. _It's not like he can attack me in the middle of a restaurant._

"Ah, thanks." Jennifer quickly sat down as she felt warmth spread over her cheeks. _You are acting like a teenager, get a grip. _"I won't have much of a chance to speak English for a while, so I won't pass it up."

"And where are you going that you'll only speak Russian?"

Before she could answer the server came over with a bottle of water for the blue-eyed man and a beer for her. The man raised a brow again as he watched her pour her beer into a glass.

"I'm from Wisconsin so football and beer were a staple in my house on Sunday," Jennifer said with a laugh. "The alcohol is less likely than water to upset my stomach. I've got a long trip ahead of me and the last thing I need is to be sick."

"That's why I've got these," the man showed her some tablets and then dropped one in his water.

"How did you get water purification tablets? They're usually reserved for disasters." Jennifer looked closely at the man to see if she recognized him from any of her orientations.

"My… _company_ provides them to me," he said, looking a bit sheepish.

"Whom do you work for?"

"You haven't answered my question," he smiles and took a drink of his water. "So I won't answer yours."

"I'm here with Doctors Without Borders," she offered. "I'm a doctor. Obviously." _Smooth, Keller, real smooth._ Jennifer didn't have a long history of meeting and talking with unknown men who obviously affected her, so she felt unusually flustered.

His eyes widened again and she swore the blue got brighter, like the clear skies over the countryside where she grew up. "Lucky me. It's always good to have someone around who can save my life."

"How much saving do you usually need?" Jennifer raised her own brow, smirked and quickly raked her eyes over him. Why she was flirting so much was unknown to her, but this man made her want to tease him.

The grin that split his face made him look much younger than the serious, angry expression he had when she arrived at his table. "I've been known to get into _some_ trouble." He laughed. "Haven't had allergic reactions in almost a decade because of my hyper-vigilance. Now my hypoglycemia is a constant problem though. My job is very important and I often get caught up in work and forget to eat."

"Okay," Jennifer put a hand up. "Listen. I'm not going to diagnose you or get you free drugs or…"

"Oh, no, no, no. I'm not asking you to be my doctor or anything like that. Although you'd be the prettiest doctor I've ever had. Our current one is an annoying Scotsman."

Jennifer was shocked at the compliment in the midst of his babbling. Being a physician she always encountered people who ran through their medical history and wanted a second opinion on the spot. She had been concerned that lunch would turn into a virtual physical exam.

"You have a company doctor?"

"Yes. I work for… a multinational company that's doing some pretty advanced research so we have physicians around in case something goes wrong. I'm an astrophysicist and an engineer," he added. "Oh, I'm Doctor Rodney McKay."

"Doctor Jennifer Keller."

Their server returned and took their orders. Rodney trusted Jennifer to help with his menu selection and he enjoyed the opportunity to watch her as she spoke to the now-smiling waitress. The woman from Wisconsin had this sweetness to her that normally turned him off. Rodney McKay wanted women who knew what they wanted and went after it. _Being a blond with a nice body definitely helps, though. _Somehow he doubted Jennifer would sit across from him for long if he told her that he'd love to see what was under the bulky white sweater she was wearing so he kept his thoughts to himself for once.

"So, Doctor McKay…"

"Rodney," he quickly interrupted. The sound of her voice calling him _Doctor_ and her youthful appearance was invoking several fantasies he'd rather not think about in public.

"Jennifer," she replied with the smile he enjoyed seeing. "So, Rodney, are you a rocket scientist?"

"That is such a ridiculous description of what physicists do," he said, feeling annoyance overwhelm him_. Make that dumb blond._

"You said you're an astrophysicist, which means you deal with space, and an engineer, which means you build things. Currently the only things I know we build to go into space are rockets or powered by a rocket. Hence, rocket scientist." Her brown eyes were twinkling and he thought a smile was playing at her lips again.

Rodney had no response for her reasoning. For the unenlightened to the nuances of physics, she had a sound argument. Deciding to not lose his temper with her – it was losing his temper that sent him to this exile – he explained as best he could what he did without revealing any secrets.

A new sound came from the beauty sitting across from him. Laughter. A high, sweet sound that made him smile for no reason. "I went to Harvard and my roommate's boyfriend was a physics major. He hated when she called him a rocket scientist. He was a particle physicist."

"So you want me to hate you?" Rodney couldn't help but continue to smile.

"No, I was just seeing what reaction it would get out of you. You're the kind of person that's easy to tease."

"Great. As if being transferred here two days ago isn't bad enough, I need to relive my youth of being harassed for being a genius with some woman I just met. Thanks." Rodney took his water to offer her a toast, which only made Jennifer laugh harder.

"I'm sorry to bring up bad memories. I had my share of getting picked on too," Jennifer added, her laughter dying down.

"I couldn't imagine what for." Rodney took a drink of water and once again let his eyes wander over her.

"I graduated high school at fifteen and just finished medical school with a residency within ten years," she offered.

"That's not normal in the States is it?" Rodney asked. "Are you a child genius?" _No way I could find another pretty blond with intelligence in the same week. _

"I've never taken one of those tests, so I have no idea. I skipped three grades in school and got my Bachelors in under three years," she replied, a scarlet wave covering her face. "And you said the States? Where are you from?"

"I'm Canadian," Rodney replied, still marveling at her news about being smart.

"No way!" It was Jennifer's turn to look shocked.

"What's wrong with being Canadian?"

"I thought you guys were supposed to be polite and kind. You were yelling like an obnoxious American tourist when I got here." Once again laughter threatened to overtake his companion.

"Oh, Hardee-Har-Har." Rodney shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry if my desire not to die by citrus poisoning ruined your image of my countrymen."

Laughter finally erupted once again and this time he couldn't help but join in.

* * *

Their meals arrived and they talked for half an hour through lunch, coffee and dessert, moving naturally from topic to topic with an ease that Rodney almost never experienced with a member of the fairer sex.

Jennifer nearly choked while laughing at Rodney's reference to her bleeding-heart nature. "I'm perfectly content to save the world one patient at a time. I'll leave saving the entire world to the smartest man on it."

"As you should…" Rodney lifted his bottle to toast her once more when he saw her eyes widen and all color drain from her face. "What's wrong?" Rodney quickly turned to see a large group enter the restaurant and yell loudly at one another in Russian.

"I, um, I need to go." Jennifer reached for her bag, which she'd set next to her foot. "How much do I owe you for the lunch?"

"W-wait, what do you mean you've got to go? We-we've just started talking…" Rodney couldn't explain the panic that set in. Never had he connected with another person so quickly and his desire to keep her around pushed him to reach across the table and grab her hand. It was soft and fit into his perfectly.

Her eyes widened as she pulled her hand away. "I-I need to get going. I hope your job goes well."

"When will you be back in Moscow?" Desperation crept into his voice and unsettled him. Clearing his throat he tried to regain his normal confidence. "We could catch up."

"I'm not sure when I'll be back." She was on her feet and Rodney shot up to stand between her and the door.

"Can I have your email or a number I can reach you at?"

"I'm not going to have access to…"

"Jenny!" a loud voice shouted over the noisy group of Russians.

Rodney's head swiveled around and saw an older man with grey hair, a long black coat and red scarf around his neck heading toward their table. _That must be her companion and he doesn't look happy._

"I have to go." She smiled and grabbed a few bills from her purse. "Thanks again for lunch."

"No." Rodney put his hand around hers, crushing the money in it. "It's my pleasure and I'd like…"

"Jenny, who's this?" an angry voice spoke from behind Rodney.

Rodney let go of Jennifer's hand and turned with the most arrogant look he could muster and said, "Doctor Rodney McKay."

"McKay? I don't remember a McKay on the team?" The man looked past Rodney at Jennifer.

"Rodney's a physicist, Dad," she replied.

Her voice was softer and lacked the confidence it had while they talked. Rodney was relieved this man was her father but annoyed that he obviously frightened her.

"How do you know my daughter?" The older Keller crossed his arms and glared.

"I just helped him with some… with a potential…"

"Jennifer saved me from a potential allergic reaction to my lunch," Rodney replied.

"Not surprised. Jenny always has a weakness for those in need." The man looked past McKay. "Come on, Jenny, we'll be late. We're leaving on an earlier train."

"I'd say Jennifer's strong for helping others, not weak," Rodney said. He looked at Jennifer with her lips parted in shock.

"Jenny, go. Now," her father commanded.

"No. I haven't thanked her properly yet." Rodney leaned down to press a kiss to Jennifer's cheek and whispered, "RMMcKay at USAF dot gov." He pulled back from the stunned young woman. "Thank you, Jennifer."

TBC

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* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoy and please leave a review if you do. I'll see how far I can take this as the idea had been bugging me for days.  
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	2. Waiting for Email

**A/N: Thanks for the wonderful response. For my regular readers I'm trying out some different things so I ask you to stick with me. Thanks Destiny Brighthope, Betherdy Babe and Dwparsnip for your assistance. **

**This chapter is definitely T because of what it alludes to. Sorry, kidos, cover your eyes ;-D**

**I need to comment about Rodney's email from last chapter as many of you thought I made a mistake. I deliberately put **_**RM**_**, because there is no way Rodney would let anyone know his name and he could create his own alias if he wanted to.**

**

* * *

FIVE MONTHS LATER**

Rodney held his hand to the bump forming on his forehead. He never thought Ulyana aim would be that good while drunk. _I guess she holds her vodka better than she let on._ The string of curses that she threw at him, along with the empty vodka bottle that hit his head, included a few new ones he hadn't heard before. Rodney pushed himself off of the couch and grabbed his pants on the way to the bathroom for some painkillers.

Doctor Ulyana Lutrova was an engineering Post-doctoral Fellow at the university who was enlisted by the Russian Stargate program to assist Rodney with calculations regarding the new naquadah generators he was installing. The woman made it clear when she showed up last month that she wanted Rodney as more than a boss. She had short blond hair, green eyes and was built like a Bond girl, all attributes the physicist liked in a woman, so she was hard to ignore.

After avoiding her for a month because Rodney never got involved with a subordinate, his own needs got the best of him. Earlier tonight they went to a bar and then came back to his place. _Big mistake, McKay._ He normally never let women know where he lived but it was too late. His loneliness and frustration had gotten the best of him.

Once they were alone Ulyana got down to the _real_ reason she was there and Rodney didn't try to stop her. He was able to relax and let his mind drift off to the place it always went the last five months: a restaurant in Red Square where he glimpsed a perfect woman. Once he imagined the American physician with her long blond hair, chocolate-colored eyes and an air of innocence, it was too late.

"Damn you, Jennifer Keller, or whatever your name was," he muttered to himself as he searched for pain medicine and then looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was too long and needed to be cut. He'd put on a few pounds because the food wasn't as bad as he thought it would be and it made his face fuller. Lifting his bangs to see the red mark on his forehead, he cursed like Ulyana did earlier when he called Jennifer's name.

"_Who is Jennifer?" Ulyana spat. "A wife in America!"_

_Rodney didn't reply fast enough to satisfy the Russian so she flung the bottle at him. He managed to turn his head so it didn't hit him straight on. His visitor grabbed her coat and slammed the door continuing to curse about married men._

* * *

Once he got the painkillers and sat down on his bed to look at his laptop, he let out a few of his own Russian curses at the memory of a woman who'd affected him so much and then vanished into thin air. Slumping back against his pillows he noticed that there were still no emails in his external account. It became a habit to check several times a day the first few weeks and now he found himself only doing it at night.

It wasn't like he'd never been rejected before, but Jennifer seemed so genuine. He was surprised that she wasn't affected by his arrogance - she laughed at it. _Jennifer Keller was intelligent, kind-hearted and beautiful. We clicked instantaneously so of course it was too good to be true._

Rodney fought the frustration that consumed him because he'd couldn't get a woman, who obviously wasn't interested in him, out of his head. As he thought of their encounter, his phone rang. Groaning at the incompetents in the lab disturbing him at night, he snapped, "What?"

"Doctor McKay, we need you to return to Cheyenne Mountain as soon as possible. A car will be there in twenty minutes," Sergeant Walter Harriman said.

_At least one pretty blond needs me._ Rodney smirked as he grabbed his suitcase from the closet and started packing.

* * *

Jennifer pulled on a fluffy pink bathrobe and sat on her hotel bed. She let out a sigh after inhaling the fruity scent of her bubble bath, which still clung to her skin. It was the first time she had a long, warm bath full of bubbles in five months. "Ah, civilization," she moaned to herself as she waited for the WiFi to connect on her new laptop.

Now that she was settled, she allowed her mind to drift to her favorite memory, blue eyes, an expressive face and unruly hair that haunted her sleep for months. Even though they'd spent so little time together, no man ever affected her as Doctor Rodney McKay did.

And no man ever angered her father so greatly. Once they left the restaurant Jennifer had never seen her father that mad and _disappointed_ with her. The elder Keller raved about how stupid she was to dine with a stranger. Since she became a teenager her father always told her men only wanted sex from beautiful women and said that this man definitely fit that category.

"_You're intelligence scare men off, so any man who sticks around only wants to get in your pants." __Her father never held anything back and was often crude to make his point._

Years of over-reaction by her father to any man who tried to befriend her left Jennifer leery of making male friends. She was busy enough with school that she didn't need angst with her father in the midst of her studies. But now she felt the need to disobey her father and contact the man who showed no fear in his presence, a man that dared to _kiss_ her under the brown-eyed glare of Brian Keller.

It was the brief kiss to her cheek - right in front of her ear - that consumed her nightly fantasies. It wasn't a friendly peck. No, this was a pressing of lips to her face and sliding them over to whisper his email address into her ear. It had made her shiver all the way to her toes.

RMMcKay at USAF dot gov had become a mantra she chanted regularly to calm herself during her five month assignment in the rough regions of the Caucasus Mountains in Southern Russia. The days were grueling, but it was satisfying to help people who might die without the care she and the team of doctors brought to them.

Opening her email she typed in Rodney's email and started to compose.

_Dear Rodney,_

"Does that sound too formal?" Jennifer often spoke aloud when alone because it helped her keep the ideas straight in her brain, which was always going at a hundred-miles-per-hour.

_Hello Rodney,_

"Better," she muttered as a thought suddenly hit her. _.gov? Shouldn't it be .mil?_ Her heart thundered in her chest. _Did he lie and give me a bogus email?_ Panic spread through her at the thought that her father was right; he only wanted one thing and wasn't going to get it so he blew her off.

_No. He stood up to your father for no reason._ Her head spun for a few moments before her calm personality prevailed. _No one is going to give you a bogus email if you don't want it. You didn't ask for it, he knew you were leaving and wanted to talk to you in the future. _

Taking a deep breath she continued.

_I realized this might not be a legitimate email because the military does not use gov to my knowledge for their emails. If this email does not reach a blue-eyed rocket scientist I met in Moscow, please delete. If this is Rodney, please continue to read._

Hoping Rodney would get a chuckle and also realize she wasn't some dumb blond who didn't know anything about email, Jennifer launched into a heart-felt apology for not contacting him and for her father's rude behavior.

_It's been me and my father since I was a kid. He's very protective and always wants me to keep focused on the goal, which is to be the Chief of Medicine at John Hopkins or Mass General or some other world-renowned hospital. It takes a great deal of dedication and balance in my career to get there. The last thing he wanted we me to get distracted by friends and other things. It's why I'm taking two years to do Doctors Without Borders. Dad said it'd show I care about the medicine and not the money, which is true. This little bleeding-heart really does want to save the world one patient at a time._

Jennifer smiled again as she remembered teasing him about his smartest man comment. Saying a silent prayer that he wasn't a fraud, she continued to tell him about her assignment and ask about his own.

After writing for another ten minutes, Jennifer realized she had no idea how to end the email: _Regards_ was too formal and sounded cold, _Jennifer_ made her think that Rodney would think she didn't know how to sign it, _Yours_ sounded desperate.

"Come on, Keller, you're over thinking this." She stared out the window of her hotel room in the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts and begged for inspiration.

_Take care,_

_Jennifer_

"I _care_ because I'm a doctor so it shouldn't sound too weird," she said as she proof-read, re-edited and then hit send before she chickened out.

She closed her laptop and turned on the television to distract her. It didn't work; neither did reading nor working on her presentation for Monday. Several times during the night she'd put the laptop away and then pull it out to see if the email bounced or if she got a reply.

* * *

At 7am her wake-up call came and a sleepy Jennifer Keller stumbled out of bed and off to the hotel gym. Staring at her laptop she debated if she should check her email and decided she would. It was late afternoon in Moscow so Rodney could be getting off work.

Depression set in when she saw no reply to her email from ten hours ago. Squeezing her eyes shut as her father's voice echoed through her head, Jennifer grabbed a t-shirt and shorts to get ready for a long, hard workout.

On her way out of the room, her cell phone rang. For a second her heart skipped a beat but then she remembered that she'd never given Rodney her phone number. Picking up the phone she saw the number was blocked, but it could be important so she answered.

TBC


	3. Jennifer's Morning

**A/N: Thanks to all the of loyal McKeller fans. There are fewer and fewer McKeller stories so I hope some you check them all out. Thanks to **_**Destiny Brighthope**_** and **_**Betherdy Babe**_** for the brief betas. All mistakes are mine.**

* * *

"Doctor Jennifer Keller?" a female voice asked on the other end of the line.

"Speaking."

"I'm sorry to disturb you this early, but I'm calling from Dean Joseph Martin's office to invite you to a dinner this evening at his residence. I realize this is short notice and apologize profusely because your invitation was returned. I just located your number in your email." The woman sounded like she'd called to tell Jennifer something terrible had happened.

"No need to apologize. I just got in last night. How formal is this dinner?" Jennifer's father drilled the importance of appearance into her at an early age. _You must always look your best and be professional._ He told her to cut her hair all the time but that was something she refused to do.

"It's at his house so no evening gowns or anything like that. So you will attend?" a relieved voice on the other end asked.

"Sure. I'd love to go." Dad will be excited to hear about this.

"Would you like to bring a guest?" the woman asked.

"No. Just me," she replied losing her excitement. Her eyes drifted to her email, which just flashed up with directions from the dean's secretary.

"Well if you want to bring a guest, it is acceptable. Have a wonderful day, Doctor Keller."

"Thank you. You too." The young woman sighed. Never in her life did she have a date for an event that wasn't her father. _Not that I went to many events that required dates in the first place._

* * *

Jennifer exited the shower and raced across the room to grab her cell phone. Her workout lasted longer that she'd planned on it, but her concern about the evening made her lose track of time. Stressing out over her appearance and the small talk she'd be forced to make, pushed her to run longer on the treadmill than she wanted. Now I missed my check-in with Dad.

Her father called daily and kept track of her as if she were still at teen, but Jennifer could never begrudge her father his concern. _Losing Mom changed him so much._ The young woman's respect for all he provided for her growing up made her feel that talking to him daily was the least she could do.

"Hey, I just got out of the shower. Give me a few minutes and call back," she said and clicked the phone off before her father could respond.

Jennifer quickly towel dried her hair, pulled it into a ponytail and yanked on a sweatshirt and jeans. She knew her father would have plenty of advice to give about the evening.

Her phone rang again and she noticed that the number was blocked, which she thought was odd because it usually said _Dr Brian Keller_ when he called. Answering the call she said, "Hi, sorry about that. I've got some exciting news to tell you."

"Knowing you just got out of the shower was pretty exciting," a male voice that was NOT her father's answered.

She felt her face heat up and then the color drain. "Wh-who is this?"

"It's Rodney."

"How did you get my number?" She was stunned as a wave of anxiety went through her. _Did he use his government connections to find my number?_ Comments from her father about men and sex went through her head.

"It was in your email," he replied, his voice not as confident or playful as before.

"In my email?" she questioned. _I didn't…_ Jennifer slapped her forehead. _My signature._ Her father told her to have a professional signature on her personal email.

_Jennifer Keller, MD_

_Cell: 555-555-1234_

"Yes," Rodney drew out the word as an awkward silence settled over them. "I take it you didn't want me to call?"

"No. That's not it at all," she tried to explain. "I'm glad to hear from you. How is Russia?"

"Russia wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be," he said. "Being back here is better."

"Here? You're back in the States?" Jennifer couldn't help feel more anxiety as she realized she not only accidentally put her phone number in the email, she basically begged him to get in touch with her. _Talk about leading someone on!_

"Got transferred back to Vegas just this week. Looks like we both got home at the same time," he added.

Jennifer smiled at the coincidence. "Looks like this won't be such a long distance call for you. I was going to say the phone bill is going to be really high."

"Well we don't have to talk by phone," he said with a chuckle.

"What do you mean?"

"Come down to the lobby."

Jennifer dropped the cell phone in shock. _He's here? __Oh, Jennifer, what did you do? _Every bad movie involving stalkers her father made her watch came to mind. _That's what you get being nice to someone._

* * *

Rodney heard a thud and silence. He wasn't sure what to make of it but for a moment he thought grabbing the first flight from Vegas to Boston might not have been the way to go. The excitement when he got off the plane and saw an email from Jennifer with an invitation to continue where they left off was more than he could resist. _After taking part in saving the world I should be able to be spontaneous._

"S-sorry. I-I ah, um, stumbled," Jennifer replied. "You're here?"

"Yeah, I didn't have any plans for the weekend other than finding a new cat and I figured we wouldn't have an opportunity like this for a year according to your email."_ Might as well lay it on the line, McKay._ He desperately wanted to see this woman again and she seemed interested so he allowed his insecurity to be pushed aside. _She probably hasn't had her morning coffee. _"Why don't you come down and I'll get you a coffee? You can show me where since this was your old stomping grounds."

There was silence again and Rodney questioned his decision once me.

"I'll be down in a few," she finally said after a pause that made him check the signal on his phone.

"I'll be here." He hadn't been given a room because it was so early so he was hanging out in the lobby. The desk clerk took his bags to store and they were very excited to find out he didn't mind paying a premium rate since the hotel was nearly fully booked.

* * *

A ding from the elevator around the corner lifted Rodney's heartbeat and he found a smile forming that he couldn't wipe off of his face. When Jennifer rounded the corner the smile broke into a full grin as his eyes swept over the petite woman.

Jennifer had obviously lost weight, as her cheeks weren't as full as he remembered them. The bulky Harvard sweatshirt she wore went to the middle of her thigh and her hair was pulled into a ponytail. Her entire appearance spoke of a college student and it increased Rodney's heart rate even more.

"Hello," she said with some hesitation as a slight smile graced her lips. The young woman hadn't put on any make-up except something to add a shine to her lips.

For a second McKay felt as nervous as he did on his first date as a teenager. Her natural appearance only enhanced her beautiful face in his eyes. "Hi. You look great."

"Uh, sure," she said with a knowing smirk.

"Baggy sweatshirts are always in style." Rodney stepped toward her wanting to pull her into his arms for a hug. _Probably a bit soon for that_.

Jennifer laughed and shook her head. "I see you're still the comedian I remember."

"Russia didn't kick that out of me," he replied as he took in the darting eyes and twisting hands, clutched in front of her. _She's as nervous as I am._ His natural boldness took over. "Why don't we grab a coffee? I know I could use one."

She hesitated and looked from her sneakers to his face. "Sure. There's a place not far from here, if you don't mind walking?"

"Not at all," Rodney said as he felt her relax when he motioned to the door.

* * *

"So how was Russia?" Jennifer asked as they waited to cross the busy JFK Street that ran through Harvard Square.

"Not bad. They discovered my expertise was needed back here pretty fast," he stated, trying not to say too much. Jennifer's easy nature drew more out of the physicist than he'd ever shared with anyone he'd known for years let alone a few hours shared months ago.

"Well I'm glad to see Russian food agreed with you," Jennifer said as her eyes traveled over his frame, enclosed in a tan coat and dark brown pants.

Rodney stopped, put his hands on his hips, tilted his head and in a wounded voice called after her, "Did you just call me _fat_?"

The physician stopped walking and turned, her face was bright red as she stammered, "What? N-no. Not fat. You were _really_ skinny before and now you look… _healthy_. Not that you didn't before. I mean…" The desperate woman reached out to grab his upper arm to force him to see her sincerity. "I swear I didn't mean it to sound like something bad."

Rodney wanted to laugh at how upset she looked, her brown eyes wide and her hand, which released his arm, was now wringing the other one again.

"I'm sorry. I'm nervous about tonight and I'm not thinking before I speak," she said.

"What's tonight?" Rodney had a mixture of disbelief-_does she mean something's going to happen with us_-and concern-_does she have a date?_

"A dinner with the dean of Harvard Medical School. I just found out about it this morning before you called. I need to make sure I've got suitable clothing, clean shoes and think of tons of small talk topics for the night."

Rodney smiled. "I might be able to help you, if you'd let me. I've been to dozens of these events."

"What makes you think I want you to come with me?" she asked.

"You owe me for the _fat_ comment." He wiggled his eyebrows, gaining a _huff_ from his companion.

"I didn't say you were fat," she said, her agitation obvious in the rapid breathing and flush to her skin.

Those particular physical manifestations were causing Rodney's desire to see her in evening attire or out of it to overwrite his common sense. "You implied it. Besides, being in a room full of _voodoo_ practitioners will be a relaxing change of pace for me."

This time Rodney kept walking and Jennifer stopped with her hands on her hips. "What?"

"Oh come on. Medicine isn't a science." Rodney had this debate all the time with Carson Beckett, the physician assigned to Area 51.

"Excuse me but if you have an allergic reaction to something, I can fix it with medicine developed by chemists and biologists," Jennifer shouted. "If you discover that worm holes exist in outer space, who cares. It's got no practical application, Mister Astrophysicist."

Rodney couldn't help but double over in laughter at her comment. _Oh, Jennifer, if you only knew the half of it._

TBC


	4. Rodney's Recovery

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay but other things have gotten in the way. Thanks to Betherdy Babe for the assistance. Fluff alert.**

* * *

Jennifer stared in shock at the man laughing before her. "You insult my profession and then _laugh _at me?"

"Your comment… about wormholes was… funny," Rodney said.

"Well, I don't know if you study them or not but I saw a stupid TV show last night about them so it stuck in my head," Jennifer replied hotly as she crossed her arms and turned to look back at the hotel.

"What show would that be? Something hosted by Neil de Grasse Tyson perhaps?" Rodney offered, swiping at the few tears around his eyes.

"No, _Wormhole X-treme_. A stupid story…"

Rodney started laughing again.

"I take it you know the show?" Jennifer continued to clench her fists and glare at him.

"And the guy who consults for it."

"There's really a _scientist_ advising them?" Jennifer stared at Rodney and a part of her wanted to get away from him but the other part of her was drawn to his confidence. _If only he wasn't so darned cute it would be even easier to just walk away._

"Not a scientist." Rodney couldn't get the smirk off his face.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I hope you enjoy your breakfast. I need to get ready for my presentations this week." She turned and headed back to the hotel.

"W-wait!" Rodney shouted as he ran to catch up with her. "Wh-where are you going?"

"I don't appreciate having my profession, something I've wanted to do all my life, be referred to as _voodoo_." Jennifer felt tears prickle her eyes. Her father's smug face telling her that she was a bad judge of character came to mind and only added to her sense of annoyance.

"Stop. Please." Rodney stepped in front of her holding his hands out to stop her.

"Rodney, I'm sorry but…"

"Please. Stay right there." The big blue eyes and concern on his face held her in place. She nodded and Rodney walked away.

"Where are you going?"

He didn't respond at first but then he smiled and walked up to her with his hands in his pockets. "Hello. I'm looking for a nice, quiet coffee spot nearby. Would you happen to know of one?"

It was now Jennifer's turn to fight off her laughter. She failed and held out a hand as she chuckled, "I'm Doctor Jennifer Keller. And yes, I know of a wonderful place nearby."

Rodney took her hand and enclosed it between his. The sensations that his larger hands sent through her when they made contact were as intense as his brief kiss in Red Square. "I'm Doctor Rodney McKay, astrophysicist and engineer extraordinaire…"

Her laughter intensified as did the heat that flooded her body from the contact.

"Would you allow me to buy you a coffee? I understand if a beauty like yourself might not want to be seen with a man… like me."

"What are you talking about?" Jennifer asked, wishing she could remove her hand without seeming rude yet secretly wanting him to continue to hold it.

"You know… with a little extra weight around the middle?" The innocent look he shot her sent her into a fit of giggles and caused her to squeeze his hand in return without thinking.

"I did not call you fat!" she replied.

"And I _am_ certain your practice of medicine is of a higher scientific quality than the Scotsman I work with."

Rodney moved her hand so it was now wrapped around the bend of his arm and he tugged her toward the crosswalk. "Now let's get some breakfast and go shopping."

"Uh… I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to go with me tonight. Don't take offense, but I highly doubt the other doctors at this dinner will appreciate your _unique_ view of our profession."

"I'm not concerned," Rodney replied, arrogance exuding from his voice and body language.

"Well I don't think being cute will get you out of your comments with them." Jennifer's eyes widened as soon as she finished. Her entire body temperature elevated after her slip up, not just her red face. "I… Uh…"

"Oh no. You are not taking back the fact that you called me cute." Rodney's smug smile grew as he placed his free hand over hers. "And you look amazing with that red tint on your cheeks."

Jennifer's mouth opened but no words came out. She followed him across the street as her mind swirled through all the emotions she was feeling._ How am I going to survive tonight? He'll either destroy my career with his words or I'll lose my head when he touches me and destroy it myself._

* * *

While Jennifer was getting dressed, she thought over the day she spent with Rodney, who was a perfect gentleman during their excursions. After breakfast they went to the _CambridgeSide Galleria_, the local mall, to find clothes for the evening: a suit for Rodney and a dress for Jennifer.

The dress Rodney suggested wasn't anything she'd ever look at by herself. It was a classic little black dress with a scoop neckline, but shorter than Jennifer ever wore before. The second that Rodney saw her pasty white legs she swore he stopped breathing or at least thinking because she had to call his name several times. He immediately turned to the saleswoman and said Jennifer needed shoes to match.

After they purchased their clothing Rodney dragged her to Swarovski to help him buy his sister a gift to celebrate her award of a high profile grant. Jeannie McKay was working on her PhD in mathematics at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Because of his travels he hadn't been in touch with her for some time and thought the jewelry would make up for lost time.

Jennifer thought it was the sweetest gesture ever and helped him to select a small diamond pendant and matching stud earrings.

After grabbing lunch at the _Cheesecake Factory_ they headed to the _Boston Museum of Science_ and its planetarium. Rodney said as a kid a planetarium was his favorite place to visit and he liked to check them out whenever he had time-which was almost never.

Today was also the first time Jennifer got to see that Rodney was every bit as smart as he claimed to be. The planetarium was having technical difficulties and after several minutes of their refusal to let him help, he finally offered to call Doctor William Shapiro from the Harvard Observatory for a reference.

Jennifer was thrilled to see all the happy school kids get to look at the sun and stars on their field trip because of Rodney. It took him five minutes of fiddling with the projector and two on the computer to get the program running at a higher resolution that it originally had. The planetarium staff couldn't have been more thankful and gave them free passes to the planetarium for whenever they were in town.

"You made all those little kids happy," she said as the waited for a cab.

"I could care less about them. I wanted to impress you," he grinned as he saw the blush spread over her cheeks again.

"I was already impressed about the gift for your sister." Jennifer quickly stepped up to the cab before she could see his reaction.

* * *

Jennifer stared at the woman before her in the mirror and heard the voice of her father loud and clear in her head. _You're leading him on, Jenny. He only wants to have sex with you and then he'll be on his way taking your virginity with him. It'll crush you to be used and you know it._

Turning away from her reflection she began to lose her nerve about the dress. She had a suit in the closet that would be casual if she wore only the white blouse and skirt. _I should also put my hair up. Dad says it looks sloppy to have your hair down._

It was as if all the happiness she's gleaned from Rodney's company and his remark when she was trying on the dress about being beautiful didn't matter. A little bit of time alone and Dad's voice twisted Rodney's words and gestures into something ugly.

Just as she was reaching behind to unzip the dress, her cell phone rang. She picked it up with a bit of hesitation because her father hadn't called her yet and said, "Hello?"

"Hey," Rodney's jovial voice came over the phone. "You forgot something in my bag. If you're ready I'll bring it over."

Jennifer's eyes scanned the room and her body to see if anything was missing. "I don't think so."

"Just tell me the room and I'll be there," he said.

Jennifer hadn't told Rodney the room she was in as a precaution and she was still uncertain. "What is it? Can't you give it to me in the lobby?"

"Jennifer, are you afraid of me or something?" he asked, his voice sounded nervous. "I'm not sure about the jerks you've dated before but I'd never force you to do something you don't want to do."

It was as if Rodney had read her mind. "You can never be too cautious."

"I understand. And I expect you to be extra cautious when I'm not around. Okay, I'll meet you in the lobby when you're ready."

Looking down at the dress that hugged her figure and taking one last glance in the mirror at the blond mass of hair around her face, Jennifer decided to trust the funny genius she'd meet in Russia once more. "I'll be down in a couple minutes."

TBC

* * *

**A/N: I am not endorsing the stores and places I mentioned, well maybe the Museum of Science, which has an upgraded _awesome _planetarium now. It didn't when this story takes place.**


	5. Rodney Saves the Day

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay on this but RL has taken its toll on my writing abilities. Thanks to any of you who are still reading this story and _Betherdy Babe_ for the brief beta.**

* * *

Rodney paced, something he'd never done too often. He was always sure and confident with his actions but this was out of his comfort zone. The physicist had never given a gift before.

It was an odd realization for the thirty-something to realize, but gift giving wasn't something his family did. This was the first of two gifts he had in mind for the captivating blond physician on her way down. If this one backfired he'd know not to bother with the other one.

"Don't lose your nerve, McKay," he said, as his fingers stroked the velvet box he held. The gift for his sister was really something he wanted to give Jennifer to remember him by. If it showed the doctors who would be sniffing around his beautiful date that she was really with him, all the better.

"What was that, sonny?" the elderly woman sitting on the couch nearby asked.

"Did I say that out loud?" he asked.

"Don't lose your nerve," she stated as she pulled a cell phone out of her purse. "Are you proposing?"

"_Proposing_? No, this is only a second date," he replied as blue eyes met his.

"And you're giving a gift already? Sounds serious to me." The lady glanced back at her phone. "My Artie still gives me surprise gifts. On our first date he had flowers and on our second he had an engagement ring."

"So a necklace isn't too much too soon?"

"My husband was off to war and didn't want to lose me," she confided, meeting his gaze once again.

"Well, Jennifer is leaving for a while. She's a doctor with Doctor's Without Borders. She's going somewhere in Africa," Rodney explained, unable to explain why he was chatting to a stranger.

"That's nice. I'm sure she'll remember a sweetie like you," the woman said before she started dialing a number.

* * *

The elevator dinged and Jennifer stepped off, causing Rodney to stare. He'd seen her in the dress at the store but now that she was dressed for _their_ date he was rendered speechless. The dress seemed to cling more to her curves than it did earlier in the day. Rodney mentally thanked the salesperson for pushing Jennifer into the modest one-inch heel instead of the flats she wanted. Her hair was down and framed her face, giving her an even more innocent air about her. _Oh I'll be the envy of every man in that room._

A broad grin split his face and all fear of giving Jennifer her gift left him. "You look beautiful."

"I look ridiculous," she replied. "I'm going to fall on my face and…"

"I'll be more than happy to let you lean on me if you're not steady on your feet," he responded, wiggling his eyebrows and smirking.

"You insufferable…"

"Hey. I come bearing gifts so be nice." Rodney held up the box.

Jennifer looked confused as she looked at the velvet box in his hands. "That's for your sister."

"No, it's for the most beautiful woman I've ever had the pleasure of going out with." Rodney stepped forward and removed the necklace from it's box.

"I…"

"Oh that's lovely," the elderly woman said as she stopped next to the couple. "Don't you dare let this one get away, honey," she addressed Jennifer. "Men today just don't know how to woo a woman, but this one sure does."

Rodney held in a laugh because the lady reminded him of his grandmother who passed away years ago. "Only the best for my date." He raised an eyebrow as a speechless Jennifer Keller looked between the elderly woman and the physicist.

"That's the spirit." Her grey eyes sparkled and she patted Jennifer's arm. "I mean it. Don't let him get away." She turned and headed for a distinguished looking younger man in a suit waiting at the door.

"R-rodney, I can't take this. It's for…"

"You." He leaned forward, catching a scent of flowers as he clasped the chain behind her neck.

"I…"

"No more complaining. We're going to be late," he said and physically turned her toward the door.

* * *

The necklace was only the beginning of her amazing night. As she lay in her hotel bed full of a restless energy she'd never felt before, every detail of the night unfolded for her once again. The feel of Rodney's hands as they gently brushed her hair aside to let the necklace settle around her neck still sent a shiver down her spine. The sound of his voice as he whispered comments in her ear during the dinner party echoed in her head. Smiling as she snuggled against her pillow, the physician told herself she wasn't such a bad judge of character after all.

All her fears about Rodney insulting their hosts were disproved because, once again, Doctor Rodney McKay saved the day. This time it was fixing the dean's stereo system, which Rodney modified to play any satellite radio channel in the northern hemisphere. The physicians were in awe of his skills and one of them from Mass General hospital actually knew Carl Sagan. A discussion ensued about how arrogant the famous author and physicist really was.

Jennifer stood in awe of Rodney's ability to talk about anything with total confidence. She only felt comfortable talking about medicine and Wisconsin, not in that order. Small talk about the latest electronic gadget or cell phone technology was lost to her, but her date still included her in the conversation.

He talked as if he and Jennifer had known each other for years, telling of her goal to be chief of staff at a major research hospital and her desire to make a difference with her service to Doctor's Without Borders. By the end of the night she had three physicians begging her to call them once her time in Africa had ended. This one man did more to advance her career aspirations in one night than her father did over the past decade.

* * *

"Jennifer, can I come in?" Rodney's voice and his knocking sounded through her hotel room the next morning.

"Be right there," she called and let out a sigh. The physician closed her eyes for a minute to shut out the fact that this was going to be good-bye for at least a year. Jennifer wanted to remember her first real date and how good it made her feel, but skip the ending.

She had let him walk her to her room last night but they separated with nothing more than the squeezing of hands and warm smiles. _He'd kissed me in front of Dad, but won't when it's just the two of us. That is so not fair._

"Morning," Rodney said when she opened the door to find him in a brown coat and tan slacks like the other day. He had an early flight and was obviously ready to go. "I come bearing gifts." He had a tray with two coffees from the shop down the street, a computer bag over his shoulder and a bag containing something else sitting between the coffees.

"Let me help you with this," Jennifer offered and reached for the tray.

"Thanks. I got your favorite French Roast and one of those chocolate croissant things you liked."

His smile was broad but Jennifer could see concern in his eyes. _He knows this is good-bye and seems to be worried about it too. _She couldn't help but smile reassuringly, trying with her eyes to tell him she would wait to see him again for as long as it took. "You're the best."

"Don't I know it," he said, rocking on his heels and staying close to the door.

Jennifer giggled as she took a drink of the heavenly coffee. "I'm going to miss this."

Rodney stiffened and crossed his arms.

Jennifer felt as if the room chilled around her and was at a loss of what to say or do. She motioned for him to sit on the lone desk chair. "When's your flight?"

"Soon." He took off the computer bag and set it on the bed. "I-I…"

"Don't say it," Jennifer said and held up her hands. "We'll see each other again. I promise." She felt a red wave flood her face. _What are you saying? You're being clingy. You might as well offer him sex now to remember you by_, her father's voice echoed through her head making her feel even worse.

"I know we will. That's what this is all about." He gestured to the laptop computer he was removing from the bag.

At least Jennifer thought it was a computer. It didn't look like anything she'd seen in computer stores. It was razor thin and the surface looked like a solar panel.

"It's state of the art. The cover catches solar radiation to charge the battery…" he began.

"No way. I know enough about solar power to know it can't be captured by a tiny computer." Jennifer moved away. A terrible premonition occurred to her.

"It's something I've been working on."

"Rodney," she scolded. "You can't give me a top secret government experiment."

"First it's not top secret. Do you think I could take it from the lab if it was? Second, I don't want you alone in the wilds of Africa. I need to know you're safe." His voice rose as he held the computer out for her to take.

"Rodney." She wanted to scold him but the way he said he needed to know she was safe pushed all her anger aside. It was genuine concern, not the domineering need to know what she was doing that her father exhibited.

"Jennifer, I want to stay in touch with you. This computer will charge itself and connects to a satellite to transmit your messages. We'll even be able to video chat…"

"Video chat?" Jennifer was overwhelmed and nearly stumbled. Rodney was offering her a way to stay in touch with him while she was isolated in a third world country. He offered her an invention of his own-_probably something he whipped up in his spare time. In all of five minutes. _A smile toyed with the corners of her mouth.

Rodney's eyes zeroed in on the battle she waged to keep her lips from curling upwards. The intensity of his cobalt gaze made her heart skip a beat. The genius put the laptop down on the desk and stepped toward her.

Jennifer gazed up when he got closer and a gasp escaped her lips when he reached out and took her hands in his.

"Jennifer," Rodney began. "I'm not good at this. I usually go on a date and then months go by before I remember to ask for another one. I don't want to lose contact with you. I…" He seemed to lose his bluster. "I really _like_ you. I know that sounds juvenile…"

Jennifer couldn't hold herself back any longer. She squeezed his hands and leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips. The young doctor had never initiated a kiss before. Her father's voice screamed in her mind that she was throwing her life away with a kiss, but the woman ignored it for once.

There was no way she would let this man pour his heart out to her, give her a way of staying in touch with him and not thank him as a woman should thank the man she was falling in love with.

As soon as Rodney attempted to return the kiss, the hotel room phone rang. Jennifer jumped back like she'd been scalded. The brief contact with his mouth sent her head spinning and nearly erased her ability to think. His lips were soft but firm as they began to rub against hers. _I never thought a man's mouth would be soft and smooth._ Somehow her father's continuous comments about men and sex made her think men weren't capable of being anything but harsh.

The phone rang again, forcing her to turn away from the stunned face of the physicist and answer it. "H-hello?"

"Jenny, where have you been? _Screwing_ some guy?" The anger and accusation in her father's voice sent a shaft of fear through her. "Doctor Martin told me you had a guy with you? What the hell are you thinking? I'm on my way to Boston," he growled. "And that son-of-a-bitch better be gone when I get there or I'll ruin him."

Jennifer tried to mask her fear for Rodney's safety. "I-I need a few minutes to get ready. I'll call you then."

"A few minutes? You did sleep with him. Oh Jenny, I am so disappointed in you. You better not be pregnant because that'll really ruin everything."

"I'll call you soon. Bye," she said and hung up. It was something she was going to pay the price for but she had to go. Rodney was leaving momentarily for his flight and she didn't want to ruin their farewell. In that instant she realized her father would believe what he wanted to about what happened between her and Rodney. _Nothing I say will ever change that now._

"Jennifer, are you okay?" Rodney asked as he placed his hands on her shoulder.

"Of course. It was just a call about my presentation." She turned around and moved out from under his touch. She'd never disobeyed her father like she was doing at the moment and it scared her. "Thank you for everything, Rodney."

"As I said before, I really like you. I take it from the kiss that we were so _rudely_ interrupted from that you like me too." The smug grin was there but tempered with concern in his eyes.

"The interruption was a good thing. I shouldn't have kissed you. We barely know each other," she explained, careful to keep her distance from him.

"Jennifer, was that your father? Is he upset?"

"N-no," Jennifer offered with a forced smile. "We've got some things to plan before the trip, which reminds me that I better get supplies later today." She crossed her arms and looked back at the computer lying on the desk. "I can't take this, Rodney."

"You can and you will." Rodney looked like he wanted to reach out for her but didn't. "Jennifer, I have powerful friends. If you don't take the computer, I just might have to have you tracked by satellite. That would tie up resources and wreck all kinds of havoc with national defense."

"You-you can't. You wouldn't?" Jennifer gasped.

He raised his brows and cocked his head. "Do you think anything can stop me when I set my mind to a task?"

For a heartbeat Jennifer almost begged him to take on her father with all that bravado, but she didn't. Forcing a chuckle, she shook her head and moved toward the door. "I hate to throw you out, but I know you have a plane to catch. I hate good-byes so let's just make this short and sweet." Her eyes looked anywhere but into Rodney's.

"So you'll keep the computer?" he asked as he stopped next to her. "And I have a few minutes before the cab comes, so I can give you a quick overview." The physicist pleaded like a little boy being sent to his room.

"Yes," she replied, melting at the sad expression on Rodney's face. She had no intention of bringing it with her, but couldn't make him sad. "But I want you to take the necklace. I really can't bring that with me."

"I'll keep it until you're back and then you can wear it for our next date."

"Okay," Jennifer replied. "And what's our next date going to be like? It'll be hard to top yesterday."

"I've got a year to plan it, so I guarantee it'll be amazing," Rodney's eyes regained some of their twinkle.

Fighting off sadness unlike any she'd ever known before, Jennifer smiled. "I'll hold you to that. Now, show me about this fancy computer you built for me last night."

The smile on Rodney's face made her change her mind about taking it with her. The computer would remind her of this kind, sweet man who was the total opposite of her controlling father.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry to end with a cliffhanger of sorts. I will try to update much sooner.  
**


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